The editor of “Prehistoric Times” magazine sent team members at Everything Dinosaur a preview of the front cover of the next edition of the quarterly magazine. The dramatic front cover artwork, which features a South American “Terror Bird” attacking a sabre-toothed cat, was created by southern California artist Kurt Miller.
The front cover of Prehistoric Times magazine issue 145 (Spring 2023). Picture credit: Mike Fredericks.
Picture credit: Mike Fredericks
“Prehistoric Times”
The spring issue features artwork and information on two prehistoric animals, the dinosaur Hypsilophodon and the giant Kelenken (K. guillermoi) a “Terror Bird”, that we suspect was the inspiration behind the stunning front cover artwork.
Kelenken is known from the Middle Miocene of Argentina. Standing more than 3 metres tall, it is the largest member of the Phorusrhacidae to have been described to date. Body mass estimates vary, but some palaeontologists have suggested that this giant flightless bird weighed around 200 kilograms.
Spring 2023 Edition
The next edition of “Prehistoric Times” is due out in a few weeks. The magazine will also feature an article from the distinguished Canadian palaeontologist Phil Currie. Professor Currie will examine the key dinosaur discoveries that took place more than a century ago.
To coincide with World Book Day (2nd March, 2023), here is Everything Dinosaur’s review of “Ancient Sea Reptiles” by Darren Naish. We have had an inspection copy of this eagerly awaited publication for a few weeks, and now that the book is officially available, we thought it an opportune moment to post up our thoughts and comments.
Ancient Sea Reptiles by Dr Darren Naish. Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.
Ancient Sea Reptiles
Dr Naish provides a comprehensive overview of Mesozoic marine reptiles. These denizens of the deep are in safe hands as the accomplished author guides readers through their evolutionary history before going on to dedicate individual chapters to each of the main marine reptile groups.
The Dinosauria may have dominated terrestrial environments. This carefully crafted and beautifully illustrated book leaves the reader in no doubt as to the majesty and variety of reptiles that thrived in the Mesozoic seas.
A less confident writer might have struggled to provide an overview of the anatomy of this extremely diverse group of marine adapted reptiles. Sea turtles, shark-shaped reptiles, plesiosaurs, thalattosuchians and mosasaurs are all tackled with aplomb, and the evolutionary changes required to adapt to an aquatic lifestyle are reviewed in a single compendious chapter. For example, the function of the plesiosaur’s neck is explained and the likely swimming styles of various body plans is clearly elucidated through the skilful use of descriptive text.
Exquisite Photography
Photographs of important fossil discoveries are included along with detailed and informative notes. A glossary is also provided to assist readers with terminology. Some of the lesser-known Mesozoic marine reptiles such as the Triassic sauropterygians, Cretaceous sea snakes and the mesosaurs – the world’s first aquatic reptiles, have their own dedicated chapter.
The paddle bone of a leptonectid ichthyosaur.
Stunning Artwork and Life Reconstructions
“Ancient Sea Reptiles” is richly illustrated with striking specimens and life reconstructions from many highly respected palaeoartists. The author also contributes to the illustrations providing drawings and cladograms.
The author provides many of the cladograms and prehistoric animal illustrations.
A spokesperson from Everything Dinosaur praised the book and commented:
“This is an extensively researched and most informative volume written in an easy to understand language that will please the academic and general reader alike. Ancient Sea Reptiles is highly recommended.”
To purchase Ancient Sea Reptiles by Darren Naish, visit the publisher’s website and search for either the book title or the author: Visit the Publisher’s Website.
“Prehistoric Times” magazine (issue 144 winter 2023) is reviewed by team members at Everything Dinosaur and what a jam-packed edition it is! Canadian artist Julius Csotonyi provided the illustrations for a new publication that features 1,200 dinosaurs. This immense volume was written by Evan Johnson-Ransom and in an interview Julius explains that virtually all the illustrations contained in the book were especially commissioned and new. Magazine editor Mike Fredericks conducts an interview with the artist and this piece is accompanied by many examples of Julius’s work.
The front cover artwork is supplied by Daniel Navarro, and it features the Chinese tyrannosauroid Dilong. Dilong is one of the featured prehistoric animals in issue 143, the other being the super-sized, prehistoric snake Titanoboa.
The front cover image of the latest edition of the quarterly publication “Prehistoric Times”.
David Navarro also provided the artwork to be found on the back cover of the magazine, a stunning illustration of a T. rex family feeding on the carcase of a mosasaur.
Tracy Lee Ford
Inside the magazine Tracy Lee Ford concludes his series on how to illustrate dinosaur integumentary coverings with an examination of the feathers and bristles associated with ornithischian dinosaurs. John Lavas continues his profile of the highly influential Czech artist Zdeněk Burian. In this issue, he focuses on the projects and volume of work produced by Burian from the end of war until his death in 1981. Look out for the stunning gouache prints contained within this in-depth article.
Randy Knol and Mike Fredericks bring us up to date with new model introductions from CollectA and Safari Ltd, the editor has had a busy month as he also interviews palaeoartist John Conway about his new book “A History of Painting (with Dinosaurs).” John explains that he wanted to create an art book that explores how famous painters from the past, each with their very own painting style, would have depicted dinosaurs. The article includes numerous examples such as a portrait of Lambeosaurus done in the style of Pablo Picasso and a stunning pterosaur reflecting the impressionist painters such as Monet.
Titanoboa
As well as covering Dilong, Phil Hore presents a short history of Titanoboa and proposes that amongst the enormous reptiles that existed in north-eastern Columbia during the Palaeocene, the most fearsome predator of all might have been a giant, prehistoric turtle. Reader submitted artwork is prevalent including illustrations by Esther Van Hulson, James Gurney and M. Elliott Massion who also contributes a drawing to the Dilong article.
The recently introduced Rebor museum-quality Titanoboa maquette is also featured in the Titanoboa article.
The Rebor Titanoboa Museum Class Maquette Monty Resurgent. An image of this model features in a Titanoboa article in “Prehistoric Times” magazine issue 144.
To view the range of Rebor prehistoric animal figures in stock at Everything Dinosaur, including Titanoboa figures (whilst stocks last): Rebor Replicas and Figures.
Mike Howgate follows up his article from issue 142 and examines the casting in bronze of a pair of European bison by Benjamin Waterhouse Hawkins, prior to the creation of the famous Crystal Palace prehistoric animal sculptures. This provides a convenient segue into the extensive Mesozoic Media section providing reviews on lots of new prehistoric animal publications including the “Art and Science of the Crystal Palace Dinosaurs” by Mark Witton and Ellinor Michael. Amongst the cornucopia of new publications, Mike Fredericks explores new fiction, reviewing “Liopleurodon: The Master of the Deep” by M. B. Zucker as well as two new publications from Gregory S. Paul and published by Princeton University Press which documents Mesozoic Sea Reptiles and Pterosaurs respectively.
The front cover of The Princeton Field Guide to Mesozoic Sea Reptiles by Gregory S. Paul, a comprehensive overview of Mesozoic marine reptiles. This excellent publication is reviewed in the latest issue of “Prehistoric Times”. Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur
Our congratulations to the team behind “Prehistoric Times” and to all the contributors to issue 144.
The next edition of “Prehistoric Times” magazine (issue 144) is on its way and should be with readers in a couple of weeks. Our thanks to magazine editor Mike Fredericks who sent into Everything Dinosaur a preview of the front cover artwork which was created by Daniel Navarro, a very talented artist from Spain.
The front cover image of the next edition of the quarterly publication “Prehistoric Times”.
“Prehistoric Times”
We are reliably informed that this issue (winter 2023), will feature an interview with the Canadian palaeoartist Julius Csotonyi. We suspect that the interview will feature his new book “Dinosaur World”, a publication eagerly anticipated by fans of his artwork as it includes over 1,200 different dinosaur illustrations. Fans of palaeoart on this side of the Atlantic get to hear from John Conway about his latest projects including his own book, which is due out shortly entitled “A History of Painting (with Dinosaurs)”.
Visit the “Prehistoric Times” website to subscribe to this quarterly magazine: “Prehistoric Times”.
Featured Prehistoric Animals
The featured prehistoric animals in issue 144 are the Chinese early tyrannosauroid Dilong and the biggest snake known to science – Titanoboa. Readers can expect to see lots of amazing artwork.
A drawing of Titanoboa commissioned by Everything Dinosaur for a fact sheet on Titanoboa for a Rebor model.
The Titanoboa illustration (above) was commissioned by Everything Dinosaur so that the UK-based company could produce a scale drawing of the giant prehistoric snake for the fact sheet that was despatched with Rebor Titanoboa figures.
To view the range of Rebor models including museum class Titanoboa maquettes (whilst stocks last): Rebor Models and Figures.
Everything Dinosaur received this week a copy of “Two Acres of Time” by Richard S. Laub, the former curator of geology at the Buffalo Museum of Science (New York). The book documents the remarkable Pleistocene fossil and archaeological deposit preserved at Byron (Genesee County in New York State).
The arrival of “Two Acres of Time” by Richard S. Laub and published by Columbia University Press. Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.
“Two Acres of Time”
The location formally owned by the Hiscock family (the fossil quarry is often referred to as the Hiscock site), preserves evidence of mastodon elephants as well as flint tools from humans that were present in this area around 10,000 years ago. The book tells the story of the fossil and archaeological excavations and highlights the remarkable dedication and enthusiasm of the hundreds of volunteers that have worked to uncover the fossils and other artefacts from this unique location.
Published by Columbia University Press, this book explains how scientists explore, investigate, excavate and preserve evidence of ancient landscapes and the animals and people that lived in them.
Aimed at students, academics as well as the general reader, team members at Everything Dinosaur are looking forward to reading this recently published book.
To find this book visit the Columbia University Press website and search under the author Richard S. Laub or alternatively, under the book title “Two Acres of Time”.
Are you looking for an entertaining and colourful story book to help inspire the next generation of young palaeontologists? With the festive season fast approaching, we recommend “The Plesiosaur’s Neck” written by Dr Adam S. Smith and Jonathan Emmett, with lots of superb illustrations by Adam Larkum, a graduate of the Edinburgh College of Art.
“The Plesiosaur’s Neck” by Dr Adam S. Smith and Jonathan Emmett with illustrations by Adam Larkum that explores the question why did plesiosaurs like Poppy the Albertonectes have a long neck?
Prehistoric Prose, Puns and Palaeontology
Poppy is an Albertonectes plesiosaur. Her neck is seven metres long! This fun book, aimed at young readers sets out to explore some of the theories put forward by scientists as they attempt to explain why some plesiosaurs had super-sized necks.
The rhyming text bounces along and has been devised to help young readers maintain concentration and attention. Alfie the ammonite and Bella the belemnite accompany Poppy on her quest to solve this palaeontological puzzle and they chime in with cheeky comments as Poppy considers whether her neck can zap predators with electricity, helps her pluck off pesky parasites or allows to sneak up on her dinner.
Why did Poppy the Plesiosaur have a long neck?
Highly Praised
In the competitive field of children’s books, “The Plesiosaur’s Neck” has been singled out for praise. For example, shortly after it was launched it was “Children’s Book of the Week” in both Books for Keeps magazine and The Independent newspaper.
“The Plesiosaur’s Neck” was included in Teach Primary magazine’s “Fifty Modern Reads Every School Library Needs” and the book was also a finalist in the Sparks! School Book Awards.
“The Plesiosaur’s Neck”
When this delightful book was first published, team members at Everything Dinosaur had the opportunity to review a copy.
We stated:
“This book combines colourful characters with a cornucopia of fun facts. It is an entertaining exploration of a genuine palaeontological puzzle.”
“The Plesiosaur’s Neck” is suitable for ages 5 years plus, this rhyming picture book has thirty-two pages and is published by UCLan Publishing.
Dr Adam S. Smith (left) and Jonathan Emmett (right) the authors of the rhyming picture book.
More Books in the Pipeline
Dr Adam S. Smith told Everything Dinosaur that a second publication was in the pipeline, this time the story would evolve around a dinosaur, a tyrannosaur!
Dr Smith exclaimed:
“We’re excited to be working on a follow up book, ‘The Tyrannosaur’s Feathers’, to be published in 2024.”
In the meantime, if you are looking for a children’s book as a gift idea for the festive season, “The Plesiosaur’s Neck” is highly recommended.
Prehistoric Times reviewed by Everything Dinosaur team members.
Celebrating thirty years since the first issue of “Prehistoric Times” magazine, it is time to review the latest edition of this quarterly magazine for fans of prehistoric animals and dinosaur models. The stunning artwork on the front cover was supplied by Jaime Chirinos, whose illustrations have adorned the front cover of this popular magazine on previous occasions. In this issue, magazine editor Mike Fredericks interviews the Peruvian-born illustrator and there are lots of fantastic artwork by Jaime included in the article.
The front cover of Prehistoric Times issue 143 (fall/autumn) 2022. The front cover illustration an Auriornis – a controversial Chinese, crow-sized theropod. The superb illustration is by Jaime Chirinos.
Feathered Dinosaurs
It is fitting to have Jaime depict a feathered theropod on the front cover of issue 143 as inside Tracy Lee Ford continues his series of highly informative articles on dinosaur feathers, whilst John Lavas provides part 2 of his biography of the influential Zdeněk Burian. There are no feathered dinosaurs to admire in the artwork associated with this article, but plenty of illustrations produced by Burian associated with other types of commission he received. If you are a fan of Jules Verne, you are in for a treat.
The classical depiction of Styracosaurus albertensis by Burian (1941), one of several oil canvases incorporated into the article written by John Lavas. The illustration depicts two horned dinosaurs emerging into a clearing. This image has inspired many other artists and box art packaging designers. Picture credit J. R. Lavas.
Kunbarrasaurus and the Tasmanian Tiger
Aussie Phil Hore provides a conducted tour of the armoured Australian dinosaur Kunbarrasaurus, and the article includes some amazing, armoured dinosaur artwork, our congratulations to Wade Carmen, Anders Bang, John F Davies and the other contributors. Phil Hore stays in Australia to discuss the enigmatic and recently extinct Thylacine, otherwise known as the Tasmanian Tiger. Thanks to Daniel Navarro, Andreas Forrer and Marcus Burkhardt for their reader-supplied artwork with a special mention for Jaime Martinez for sending in a picture of his Thylacine models, complete with a female with offspring in her pouch.
From marsupials we move to monsters with Bruce Horton’s submission recreating a King Kong versus Allosaurus model diorama by combining two replica kits into a single, stunning display. Mike Fredericks interviews palaeontologist and author Steve Brusatte, who has taken time away from his research based at the University of Edinburgh to pen a sequel to his acclaimed “The Rise and Fall of the Dinosaurs” entitled “The Rise and Reign of the Mammals”. The piece is peppered with some illustrations from this new book charting the rise of the Mammalia created by the famous palaeoartist Todd Marshall. This beautifully illustrated book is highly recommended.
Prehistoric Times Reviewed
The regular features such as a section covering recent fossil discoveries, classified advertisements, book reviews in “Mesozoic Media” are all included, and Randy Knol provides an update on new model introductions too. The autumn edition provides a fitting tribute to thirty years of magazine publishing.
At this time of year, as we approach the run up to the festive season, team members at Everything Dinosaur receive emails asking for book recommendations, here is a trio of ideal dinosaur books for Christmas.
All three books have been written by Dr Dean Lomax. Dr Lomax is an English vertebrate palaeontologist and science communicator, a world authority on ichthyosaurs and their close relatives.
Dean has recently completed three books – “Locked in Time” (left) which is illustrated by Bob Nicholls. “Prehistoric Pets” (centre) and (right) “Dinosaurs 10 Things You Should Know”. All three books make ideal gifts for the festive season. Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.
“Locked in Time”
Fossils have provided scientists with a unique insight into life in the past. The book “Locked in Time – Animal Behavior Unearthed in 50 Extraordinary Fossils” takes the reader on a journal through deep geological time and highlights fifty of the most incredible fossil discoveries ever made. Illustrated by Bob Nicholls, fossils discussed include brooding dinosaurs, prehistoric fish entombed in giant clams, predator death traps and Jurassic crocodilians with broken jaws.
One of the dramatic illustrations from the book “Locked in Time”. A pair of Columbian mammoths (Mammuthus columbi) that died together when their tusks became locked together during combat. Picture Credit: Bob Nicholls.
“Prehistoric Pets”
“Prehistoric Pets” is aimed at the younger reader. It links animals alive today with their prehistoric ancestors. Favourite pets had prehistoric animal ancestors and Dr Lomax provides fun facts on fish and their 500-million-year evolutionary history, demonstrates that budgerigars are dinosaurs and that guinea pigs are distantly related to a rodent the size of a horse!
This colourful and well-written book takes the reader on a journey back in time, linking common household pets today with their prehistoric ancestors. Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur/Templar Books.
Published by Templar Books and available as a hardcopy format, this eye-catching and humorous book makes an ideal Christmas gift for young readers.
“Prehistoric Pets” by Dr Dean Lomax and illustrated by Mike Love can be purchased here: Waterstones Book Store.
Search for author Dean Lomax to discover the books.
“Dinosaurs Ten Things You Should Know”
Dr Lomax builds on his extensive experience as a science communicator and presents ten bite-sized essays that brings the Dinosauria to life in the 128-page “Dinosaurs Ten Things You Should Know”. He tackles big ideas about the dinosaurs, their evolution, their diversity, how they behaved and their ultimate demise.
Published by the Orion Publishing Group, “Dinosaurs Ten Things You Should Know” can be found here (just search for author Dean Lomax): Orion Publishing Group.
Everything Dinosaur team members have had the opportunity to review a new book that documents the evolutionary history of the enigmatic Trilobita. Trilobites evolved during the Cambrian, they are arguably one of the most successful types of animal to have ever lived, with more than 25,000 species named and described to date. Life-long trilobite devotee Andy Secher (American Museum of Natural History, New York), has compiled a comprehensive, and beautifully illustrated book that tells their story, outlines their origins and looks at their amazing variety.
The front cover of the beautifully illustrated “Travels with Trilobites” by Andy Secher published by Columbia University Press.
Travels with Trilobites
With forewords by Niles Eldredge, Kirk Johnson and Mark Norell, this book provides a detailed examination of the different genera of trilobites that existed in each geological period, starting with the Class’s evolutionary origins in the Early Cambrian to their eventual demise at the end of the Permian, more than 250 million years later.
One of the hundreds of stunning colour photographs from the book “Travels with Trilobites”, many fossils are from the author’s own collection. This beautiful fossil is an example of Senticucullus elegans from the Lower Silurian, Xiushan Formation (Hunan Province, China).
Feeding, Moulting and Reproduction
The author, who is also a co-editor of the American Museum of Natural History’s dedicated trilobite website, explores some of the world’s most famous Palaeozoic Lagerstätten including Kangaroo Island off the coast of South Australia, the Burgess Shale (British Columbia), the Chengjiang biota (Yunnan Province, China) and the Valongo Formation of Portugal. He documents the trilobites associated with each of these significant fossil locations and also embellishes the history of the Trilobita by including numerous “rapid reports” from other fossiliferous locations.
Travels with Trilobites examines the biology of these remarkable arthropods with the author outlining the development of trilobite eyes, how they breathed, their moulting behaviour, feeding and reproduction. There is even a small section looking at the trilobite fossils associated with the Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) at Wren’s Nest (Dudley, Birmingham, England).
One of the exceptionally rare trilobite specimens preserved in iron pyrite (fool’s gold) that led to the gill discovery. Research into the enigmatic Trilobita continues. Picture Credit: Jin-bo Hou/University of California Riverside.
Published by Columbia University Press
Published by Columbia University Press, Travels with Trilobites is an exquisite book and we at Everything Dinosaur recommend it. This book would make an ideal gift for the amateur fossil hunter.
The last section of this enjoyable book, deals with such varied topics as how to spot fake fossils, preparing trilobite fossils, fossil shows around the world and provides an insight into the motivations of specialist trilobite fossil collectors.
Travels with Trilobites – ISBN number: 978-0-231-20096-7 (hardback book)
Total number of pages – 416
Expect to be able to pick up this superb volume for around £30.00 ($40.00 USD)
Visit the Columbia University Press website and search for either the author (Andy Secher) or “Travels with Trilobites”: Columbia University Website.
A few days ago, we received a copy of The Princeton Field Guide to Mesozoic Sea Reptiles by the acclaimed illustrator and researcher Gregory S. Paul. This is an authoritative guide to marine reptiles that flourished from the Triassic through to the end of the Cretaceous.
The front cover of The Princeton Field Guide to Mesozoic Sea Reptiles by Gregory S. Paul, a comprehensive overview of Mesozoic marine reptiles. Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur
A Comprehensive Guide to Marine Reptiles
Author Gregory S. Paul has had a distinguished career. This book is part of a series of “field guides” with previous publications covering the Dinosauria (now on a second edition) and the Pterosauria. The focus might be on the mosasaurs, plesiosaurs, placodonts and pliosaurs etc, but the book follows the same successful formula as found in the other books of this series. There is a comprehensive overview of the evolutionary history of Mesozoic sea reptiles, with detailed information on their anatomy, biology and behaviour followed by the group and species descriptions.
The Princeton Field Guide to Mesozoic Sea Reptiles is an authoritative and beautifully illustrated guide to marine reptiles. Informative text combined with stunning illustrations. Picture credit: Everything Dinosaur.
The Princeton Field Guide to Mesozoic Sea Reptiles
The book documents the evolutionary history of marine reptiles, covering some 185 million years. In total, over 430 different kinds of sea reptile are discussed and the author tackles questions such as how did these animals adapt to marine environments and how did they vocalise? The book is beautifully illustrated with dozens of detailed life reconstructions and skeletal drawings.
A life reconstruction and skeletal drawing of the plesiosaur Cryptoclidus eurymerus from The Princeton Guide to Mesozoic Sea Reptiles by Gregory S. Paul.
A spokesperson from Everything Dinosaur commented:
“The Princeton Field Guide to Mesozoic Sea Reptiles provides a comprehensive analysis of the marine reptiles that thrived during the time of the dinosaurs. It covers their anatomy, physiology, locomotion and reproductive strategies, forming an encyclopaedic guide to these iconic prehistoric animals.”
ISBN number: 978-0-691-19380-9
The Princeton Field Guide to Mesozoic Sea Reptiles can be found on the Princeton University Press website: Princeton University Press Website.
